Isola Bella Estates in Lake Worth

Ron Yuter, vice president of Ansca Homes, is giving a tour of one of the models at Isola Bella Estates, the company's single-family-home community in Lake Worth.

Among the first stops is the kitchen.

Yuter smiles as he points out the stainless-steel, double-door refrigerator. At 48 inches wide, it's huge.

"Most homes' refrigerator spaces are only 36 inches wide, with a 30- to 34-inch-wide refrigerator," he says. "Not only is this refrigerator 48 inches wide, the cabinetry is built around it; nothing sticks out."

Speaking of those cabinets, he notes, "The square footage of cabinets in our kitchens is 40 percent more [than other builders']. Plus, we have a built-in pantry that is larger than others."

The kitchen is the heart of today's home, the center of family life, and Ansca has given it the attention it deserves. Besides the huge refrigerator and all that cabinetry, kitchens boast a vented, stainless-steel exhaust hood with six lighting levels above a five-burner, ceramic-glass electric cooktop, and a built-in, combination double oven with microwave and separate convection system.

All are features rarely seen in homes today. It speaks to the quality and care that Ansca Homes builds into its communities.

"Everything in our homes is top quality," Yuter says. "We don't get people walking in and saying, ‘I want to upgrade this.'"

That quality is one of the reasons why Barry Dixon-Smith and his wife Tina bought here. The couple moved into Isola Bella Estates in October 2011."The builders really care; the homes are very well-made. They're good, strong homes," Dixon-Smith says. "They are well thought out. Every detail is taken care of, and that's one of the things we liked about it.

"Everything is top quality – the appliances in the kitchens, the bathroom, the shelving, everything. We love it."

Founded in Florida more than 35 years ago by Angelo Scardina, his son Charlie, and son-in-law Ramsey Akel, family-owned Ansca Homes is backed by four generations of excellence that dates back more than a century to Italy.

The company bills itself as "an All-American builder with Old World credentials."

From its name, to the Italian street names, to the homes' rich, European styling, that Old World influence is evident throughout this Palm Beach County development.

Isola Bella Estates offers a selection of three- and four-bedroom, two-car-garage, single-family homes ranging in size from 2,246 to 2,646 square feet of air-conditioned space. The homes are priced from the $300,000s.

"Our homes have features that no one else has," Yuter observes.

They include custom-built, his-and-hers, walk-in closets in the master bedroom; ceramic tile throughout the common areas; tile floor on the diagonal; Saturnia marble or granite countertops in the master bath; and walls custom-painted in one of four soft, interior-designer-selected colors.

Purchasing all of the value-added features that Ansca puts into its homes at Isola Bella Estates, Yuter says, would cost as much as $60,000.

"We put all of it in as standard," he adds. "It's almost like getting a customized home."

That added value extends to the community's amenities as well: the elegant, 24-hour-guarded and gated entrance "that is as good as any community's – bar none"; the lakefront clubhouse with a resort-style heated pool and separate spa, fitness center, locker rooms, and children's wading pool with umbrella spray; a tot-lot; and outdoor, lighted tennis and basketball courts.

Add in a prime Palm Beach County location, and the appeal of Isola Bella Estates is obvious.

Currently, 15 home sites remain in this 209-residence community. Ten are in the Positano Collection, which are on 75-foot-wide lots, and five are in the Waterfront Collection, which are all on the lake.

From the Florida Turnpike, exit at Boynton Beach Boulevard and travel west to Lyons Road. Go north (right) to Hypoluxo Road. Turn west (left) and follow the signs to Isola Bella's sales center on your left.